Parliament of Malawi

14/08/2026

𝐂𝐏𝐀 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧-𝐎𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬

The 55th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Africa Region Conference and Annual General Meeting has ended in Lilongwe, Malawi, with a call for African parliaments to translate resolutions into practical action.

Closing the conference at the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) on Friday, Speaker of the Parliament of Malawi and the outgoing President of the CPA Africa Region, Right Honourable Sameer Suleman, MP, said the discussions had reaffirmed the critical role of parliaments in promoting accountability, representation, inclusion and service to citizens.

Right Honourable Suleman said the conference, held under the theme “Renewing the Social Contract: Parliaments as Catalysts for Inclusive Growth and Citizen Trust,” had provided an opportunity for delegates to discuss key issues including governance, peace and security, economic development, climate change, social inclusion, health and education, and digital governance.

"Let me urge member parliaments to move from deliberation to implementation by strengthening parliamentary institutions, oversight and capacity building, particularly for women and young parliamentarians," he said.

Speaker Suleman also called for stronger cooperation and peer learning among CPA branches, saying the organisation's success should be measured by the practical difference its work makes for parliaments and citizens.

He thanked delegates, the CPA Africa Region Secretariat and all those involved in organising the conference before declaring the 55th CPA Africa Region Conference and Annual General Meeting officially closed.

The Conference has appointed new office bearers, an exercise which has seen the Presidency go to the Republic of South Africa and Malawi's Member of Parliament, Honourable Grace Kwelepeta, being appointed Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians for Africa Region.

The CPA Conference drew delegates from 17 of the 19 CPA Branches in Africa, bringing together more than 300 participants in Lilongwe.

Meanwhile, the Parliament of Malawi is hosting a cultural night for delegates at Kumbali Lodge in Lilongwe this evening, followed by an excursion to Salima tomorrow (Saturday), aimed at showcasing and promoting Malawi’s tourism and cultural heritage.

14/08/2026

Awards Presentation and Official Closing Ceremony of the 55th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Africa Region Conference and Annual General Meeting

14/08/2026

𝐂𝐏𝐀 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐰𝐞

The 55th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Africa Region Annual General Meeting is currently underway at the Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe.

The Annual General Meeting is considering a number of key matters, including the minutes of the previous AGM, reports of the Executive and Budget Committees, and resolutions adopted during the 55th Plenary Session.

The meeting is also expected to consider and approve the hosting of various future regional activities, including capacity development programmes for Members of Parliament, gender sensitisation initiatives, the 4th Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPwD) Conference, the 5th Youth Parliament and meetings of the Executive and Budget Committees.

A key item on the agenda is the appointment of new office bearers, including the President of the CPA Africa Region, Vice Chairperson of the Executive Committee, Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP).

The AGM will also honour outgoing office bearers through the presentation of plaques before closing remarks.

13/08/2026

CPA - Africa Region Conference and Annual General Meeting Day 5 Highlights | Thematic Workshops.

13/08/2026

Conference Tackles Climate Resilience, Cybersecurity Governance

Issues of climate resilience took centre stage in the afternoon of Thursday, 13th August when Member of Parliament for Malawi, Hon. Deus Gumba Banda urged parliaments to embed climate resilience into budgets, warning that climate shocks already cost Malawi 1.7% of GDP annually.

Hon. Gumba was speaking at a workshop during the ongoing 55th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA Africa- Region) Conference and Annual General Meeting taking place in Lilongwe.

Hon. Gumba moved a motion on the topic 'Mainstreaming Climate Resilience into National Budgets and Development Plans, with a Focus on the Polluter Pays Principle and Carbon Credit Markets'.

During debate on the topic, delegates rallied behind the Polluter Pays Principle, calling for environmental taxes and carbon markets to fund climate resilience.

Hon. Gumba said African carbon markets could generate up to $600 million a year if managed transparently.

Speaking on the topic 'Artificial Intelligence, Innovation, and Digital Governance: Preparing African Parliaments for Cybersecurity Threats and Digital Disinformation,' Hon. Abdul Sulaiman Marray‑Conteh of Sierra Leone cautioned that parliaments are digitizing faster than they are securing systems.

“An attack on Parliament is not simply an attack on computers; it is an attack on democracy itself,” he warned.

During debate, the delegates warned that while AI offers tools for research and cyber defense, risks included ldeepfakes and disinformation campaigns .

The delegates stressed regional cooperation through the African Union and ECOWAS, noting that both climate change and cyber threats transcend national boundaries.

13/08/2026

𝐂𝐏𝐀 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐬

The 55th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA Africa- Region) Conference and Annual General Meeting on Thursday moved into thematic workshops, with delegates discussing key governance, development, inclusion and social protection issues affecting African countries.

Held at the Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe, the workshops provide parliamentarians with a platform to share experiences and explore practical strategies to address emerging challenges across the continent.

In the morning, delegates discussed Governance, Peace and Security, focusing on “Navigating Disruption: Parliamentary Strategies for Resilience in an Era of Political, Economic, and Technological Turbulence.”

The Youth, Women and Social Inclusion workshop examined strategies for advancing gender equity, youth participation and the rights of marginalised communities, while the Economic Growth, Trade and Development session focused on parliamentary oversight of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to ensure it benefits African citizens.

The Education, Health and Social Protection workshop considered ways of bridging the skills gap by aligning education with labour market demands.

In the afternoon, delegates have turned to Climate Change, Energy and Environmental Sustainability, focusing on mainstreaming climate resilience into national budgets and development plans, as well as Artificial Intelligence, Innovation and Digital Governance, with emphasis on cybersecurity threats and digital disinformation.

The workshops aim to strengthen parliamentary capacity and promote practical exchange among African parliaments to advance inclusive growth and citizen-centred governance.

The conference, hosted by the Parliament of Malawi, is being held under the theme “Renewing the Social Contract: Parliaments as Catalysts for Inclusive Growth and Citizen Trust and runs from 9th August – 16th August 2026.

13/08/2026

PARLIAMENTARY SERVICE COMMISSION VACANCIES

Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates to fill the following vacant positions within the Parliamentary Service.

A detailed description of the available vacancies, including the qualifications and requirements for each position, can be downloaded from the Parliament of Malawi website using the link below:

The Parliament of Malawi is the supreme legislative body in Malawi. It is composed of Members of Parliament that are elected directly in single member constituencies.

13/08/2026

13th August, 2026 | 55TH CPA Africa Region Conference | SoCATT Workshops

13/08/2026

ESCOM’s OFC ​Powers CPA Conference Connectivity

​As Parliament of Malawi continues to host the 55th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Africa Region Conference at BICC from 9th to 16th August 2026, fast and reliable digital communication is essential for seamlessly connecting delegates from across the continent.

​To ensure uninterrupted connectivity, ESCOM’s Optical Fibre Communications (OFC) is providing complementary high-speed internet throughout the event.

​Highlighting the collaboration, OFC Director, Stella Senti says OFC values the importance of supporting Malawi on this regional stage.

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